


Burst

by melanshi



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Angst, Background Ladynoir, Established Relationship, F/M, Identity Reveal, Surprise Kissing, also just to be safe, chat is such a good friend i love him, i'm such a sucker for these two, ladynoir is mostly just implied tbh, rated teen because there is one (1) swear
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-24
Updated: 2018-06-24
Packaged: 2019-05-27 15:32:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15027695
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/melanshi/pseuds/melanshi
Summary: For the first time in her life, Alya had to admit Ladybug was wrong. You can be akumatized as the same villain twice. And she just caused it.





	Burst

**Author's Note:**

> Catch me ignoring my multi-chapter fics and wips because these two are just??? so??? good???

She’d been akumatized into Lady Wifi twice: once on her own and once due to the Puppeteer. Ladybug said that that was the only way someone could get akumatized twice as the same villain. Being used as a villain by another villain, she’d said, that was the only way.

But Ivan had been Stoneheart twice, both on his own akumatization. And now there was the Bubbler, running around the city again because of _her_. At this point, she had to accept that Ladybug was wrong. You can be akumatized into the same villain twice by your own feelings. Stupid feelings.

Rena glanced back from her perch on the edge of a building, to where Chat and Ladybug were trying to figure out where the Bubbler was. For a villain that had been so… elaborate on his first appearance, he sure seemed like he was trying to hide now. Vaguely, she wondered if akumatized villains learned from their previous akumatization. She’d have to ask about that later.

Chat noticed her watching them and waved, a small smile lighting up his normally cheerful face. He seemed as concerned as she was. Did he know Nino too?

Ladybug turned as well and offered a similar smile, hers slightly more sympathetic than Chat’s. She knew about their relationship and how worried she was. That was why she’d showed up on Alya’s balcony with the fox miraculous. She knew about them.

Numbly, Rena wondered if Ladybug knew that she’d caused this akumatization.

She set her gaze back out on the city. The sun was beginning to set, illuminating everywhere in orange and pink. Nino would have liked to see it. He loved sunsets. Maybe that was where the Bubbler was, relaxing somewhere watching the sunset.

That was where they were supposed to be. Had she not blown him off to film the latest akuma fight for the Ladyblog. God, was she an idiot. She should’ve at least told him where she was going. Maybe then he wouldn’t have been akumatized. Maybe then they could’ve rescheduled their date. God, this was all her fault.

Rena didn’t notice that the other two heroes were trying to get her attention until Ladybug shook her gently. She blinked, noticing Chat’s hand waving in front of her face and shook her head.

“Sorry,” she apologized softly. “Zoned out a little.”

Chat looked worried but before he could say anything, Ladybug spoke up.

“We’re going to split up to look for the Bubbler,” she explained. “I’ll head east, Chat’ll head west, and you go north. Hopefully one of us will find him.” She looked down at Rena as she talked, silently asking her if she was okay.

“If you find him,” Chat said, picking up where Ladybug had left off, “call us. We’ll rendezvous at your location.”

Rena looked between the two of them, between Chat’s concerned look and Ladybug’s sympathetic one. She faked a smile, hoping to mask her distress. “Got it.”

Ladybug was convinced by it, patting her on the shoulder before taking off east. Chat was… less so. He waited until his lady had gone before wrapping Rena in a hug.

“It’ll be okay,” he whispered as she hugged back. She was sure he could feel her tears on his suit. Damn it, she’d promised herself she wouldn’t cry. He gently pulled out of the hug and rested his hands on her shoulders, the same soft smile from earlier present on his face. “We’ll get him back. We always do.”

With that, he took of west. She could’ve sworn his eyes were watery too.

* * *

 

For the first time in her life, she didn’t listen to Ladybug. She didn’t go north.

She went south.

There was a river south, where she’d been supposed to meet Nino. But she’d blown him off and didn’t tell anyone. And now he was akumatized.

The sun had set completely when she landed on the bank of the river. Yet it didn’t take away from the beauty of it. This was her and Nino’s favorite spot. It was peaceful and…and romantic… and… and beautiful.

The wind blew past, ruffling her hair and sending a chill down her back. It only served to remind her of Nino. Of the cold nights they’d spent here when she’d forgotten a jacket and he’d sacrifice his for her. The peak of romance, she’d always joked. Now, she missed it.

She missed him. She missed his music and his jokes and his carefree attitude and how he always listened when she rambled on and on about Ladybug and how he’d lend her his coat and…

Another breeze blew by. This time it carried a single bubble.

Rena froze, drawing her flute before she even had time to process what she’d seen. A bubble.

Nino.

She waited patiently, ears perked, listening for any sudden movements or sounds.             She heard the flow of the river. And the distant hum of traffic. And the buzzing of electric lights. And the gentle howl of the wind. And…

Laughter.

She heard laughter.

Her fox ears flicked in the direction of a bend in the river. To her left. There was a wall blocking it. She couldn’t see past it.

His name left her lips before she could stop it.

Her brain told her to sneak but her heart seemed to say otherwise. Before she could stop herself, she was sprinting, her feet heavy on the pavement and her knuckles turning white under her gloves from her grip on the flute.

He was here. Nino was here. She could still save him. She could still…

She slid around the corner, raising the flute high in preparation to defend herself.

But Nino was not there. The Bubbler was not there.

Instead, she’d just stumbled upon some poor couple blowing bubbles by the river. Both of them stared at her in shock, wands still raised and bubbles hovering around them. Rena blinked and suddenly the couple was replaced with Nino and her, having a great time blowing bubbles and watching them pop on each other’s faces. She blinked again and it was all gone. The laughter, the bubbles, _Nino,_ it was all gone.

Rena lowered her flute, realizing that the couple was still there. “Oh. Um, my apologies. I thought you two were… someone else.” She nodded, a small symbol of apology. “Please… carry on.”

Ignoring their still-surprised gazes, she walked back around the bend and down the river.

She needed to find the Bubbler. She needed to. She needed to apologize. He needed to know she hadn’t meant it. He needed to—

“Hello? Rena? M’lady?”

Chat?

She flipped open her communicator. Had he found him? Why else would he be calling? “Yes? Did you find him?”

There was a pause and a click as Ladybug picked up.

“Yes,” Chat finally said. “I found him. I found him.”

Rena almost cried. He found him.

“I’m sending coordinates for the rendezvous point now,” he continued.

“Great job, kitty.” Rena could practically sense Ladybug’s fond smile. “Got it.”

Her communicator beeped. “Me too. Heading to the point.” She started to head out but paused. “Hey, Chat?”

“Yes?”

“Keep an eye on him. Please.”

There was pause on the other end. “I will.”

“Thank you, Chat. Thank you.”

They found him.

* * *

 

Rena and Ladybug arrived at Chat’s rendezvous point at almost the exact same time. If Ladybug noticed that she’d arrived from wrong direction, she didn’t say anything.

The point Chat had chosen was a cluster of trees below the Eiffel Tower. It was dark enough that their comings and goings could not be seen, yet had an excellent view of the Tower itself. A great rendezvous point. Rena reminded herself to tell that to Chat later.

Before she could ask it, Chat answered her most pressing question.

“Up there,” he said, pointing to the top of the tower. “He’s up there.”

Rena squinted. Chat’s vision was much better than hers after all and she _was_ missing her glasses. Yet she could still make out the vague obnoxious colors of the Bubbler at the top of the Tower. Jeez, whoever Hawkmoth was he needed a better fashion designer. Hire Gabriel or Marinette maybe. No, don’t hire Mari. Mari needs to be as far away from Hawkmoth as possible.

“Alright, Chat head left, Rena head right, I’ll—“

“M’lady, Rena’s already gone.”

Rena could barely hear whatever response Ladybug gave, already jumping and climbing up the base of the Eiffel Tower. She hooked her flute in one of the gaps in the metal and flung herself up, hooking it into another gap higher up. Beneath her, she felt Ladybug and Chat begin their own climbs.

He was up there. She’d found him. _She’d found him._

A face appeared above her, leaning over the balcony.

_Nino._

She scrambled upwards, attempting to get closer to him when she noticed him drawing his bubble wand.

Not Nino, she reminded herself. The Bubbler.

She swung to the side as a pair of giant bubbles were thrown in her direction. Her foot found a gap in the metal and she pushed herself to perch on top of her flute. Before she could stop herself, a growl escaped her lips, matching the chuckle that escaped his.

Slowly, Rena wrapped her hand around the flute and shimmied over to the side of the Tower. Above her, the Bubbler prepared another attack, pausing as that damn glowy butterfly symbol appeared around his eyes. She wasted no time. Her foot found a gap in the metal above the flute and she pushed off. The flute was freed from its perch and she found it with her other hand to hold it with both. She let her momentum carry her above the balcony he was on. One of her feet brushed the railing. She used it to lunge forward. As the butterfly faded and he quickly snapped out of whatever trance the butterfly mask had put him in, she swung.

Her flute connected with his face, knocking him backwards across the balcony.

Rena landed on both feet, knees bent, the flute still positioned to hit, and breathing heavy. She slowly rose to her full height, towering over his form a few feet away.

She became acutely aware of Ladybug and Chat scrambling up behind her, saying something. Her mind didn’t process it, too focused on the Bubbler.

He looked up to face her, scowling an angry scowl that did not belong on Nino’s face. He leapt to his feet, the bubble wand drawn quickly.

“So you’re the famous ‘Rena Rouge’,” he said. “Nice to meet you.”

Rena twirled her flute, bringing it back into a hitting position. “Wish I could say the same, Bubbler.” She narrowed her eyes, adjusting her footing a bit. “I heard you like dancing. Well, let’s _dance_.”

He charged and swung the wand, producing two identical bubbles. She charged as well but leapt before the dual bubbles could reach her. She hit the ground hard and rolled to her knees. He was close now. She could see the whites of his eyes.

He lunged, wand drawn above him. She shot to her feet, the flute raised above her head. It caught his wand easily. She fell back, tearing it from his grasp and flinging it to the side. It stunned him for a second, but only a second. He quickly recovered and dove at her, pinning her to the ground. She brought her feet into his stomach and kicked him above her. Tumbling backwards, he snagged his wand as he went and quickly got back at his feet, only to face an angry Rena Rouge and a flute almost at his throat.

The two paused, attempting to catch their breath. No one moved, not even Ladybug and Chat, who stood surprised at the battle that had occurred before him.

Rena broke the peace. She place the flute back on her back and took a step forward towards him. He made no move to stop her, instead returning his bubble wand back to its covering.

“Nino…”

His face twisted again, the most un-Nino-like expression she’d ever seen. “I’m not Nino. I’m the Bubbl—!”

She cut him off by smashing her lips into his. It wasn’t the best kiss they’d ever shared. Her face was wet with tears and he was, well, akumatized. Yet, to her, it felt like the right thing to do. His shock wore of quickly and he returned the kiss, wrapping his arms around his waist. She reached up and wrapped hers around his neck.

Chat spoke up. “Oh, Alya’s not going to like th—mph!” Ladybug covered his mouth.

It was the Bubbler who broke the kiss, gently pushing her back to get a good look at her. There was something present in his eyes that hadn’t been there before.

Recognition. There was recognition in his eyes.

He recognized her.

“Nino,” she repeated, smiling as his hands made their way to hold either side of her face. “I… I’m so sorry. Please… please come back to me.”

He wiped a tear from her face. “Al… you know I…”

She brushed her forehead against his, meeting his eyes. “I know.”

Her hand moved from his neck to the bubble wand.

She didn’t hesitate to snap it.

He didn’t attempt to stop her.


End file.
